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Popeye: The First Fifty Years
History of the THIMBLE THEATRE STARRING POPEYE comic strip, written by one of the creators.
142 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 18, 2016
No, I'm not reviewing a comic book here, although the publication does have the benefit of being richly illustrated with drawings of the titular character and his friends. This is actually a thumbnail biography of Elzie Segar as written by Sagendorf, who served for many years as Segar's assistant. Sagendorf wrote the book long after Segar's death so had nothing to fear by way of reprisal from the boss. Refreshingly, he seems to have nothing but respect and admiration for his former employer.
Sagendorf starts at the beginning, logically, giving details of Segar's enterprising boyhood and his love for a nickel. Half a dollar would get you a day's worth of Segar's labor, and he was quite frank in stating that he took to cartooning because of the big dollars pulled in by the best cartoonists. He did not start at the top, of course, and labored in the cartooning trenches before he got his first strip. He was such a hick that when he got to Chicago he tried looking his brother up in the phone book by first name.
Interestingly, Segar did not start the strip to feature Popeye; Olive Oyl and family were the main characters originally. Popeye came along later to sail the Oyl yacht and ended up staying on and taking over the whole show. The rest of the story is well known...syndicated in twenty languages, the strip eventually spawned movies, cartoons, and a plethora of Popeye paraphernalia that will put you back a pretty penny should you encounter it in an antique shop. According to Sagendorf, the strip has also introduced at least two words to the English dictionary: "goon" and "jeep", although I think an etymologist might take him to task on that score. I'll leave Sagendorf to fight it out with the word police and finish off by saying that this was a fun and refreshing read, just what I needed to clear my head of some of the heavier stuff I'm reading....like the orgasm machine book.
Sagendorf starts at the beginning, logically, giving details of Segar's enterprising boyhood and his love for a nickel. Half a dollar would get you a day's worth of Segar's labor, and he was quite frank in stating that he took to cartooning because of the big dollars pulled in by the best cartoonists. He did not start at the top, of course, and labored in the cartooning trenches before he got his first strip. He was such a hick that when he got to Chicago he tried looking his brother up in the phone book by first name.
Interestingly, Segar did not start the strip to feature Popeye; Olive Oyl and family were the main characters originally. Popeye came along later to sail the Oyl yacht and ended up staying on and taking over the whole show. The rest of the story is well known...syndicated in twenty languages, the strip eventually spawned movies, cartoons, and a plethora of Popeye paraphernalia that will put you back a pretty penny should you encounter it in an antique shop. According to Sagendorf, the strip has also introduced at least two words to the English dictionary: "goon" and "jeep", although I think an etymologist might take him to task on that score. I'll leave Sagendorf to fight it out with the word police and finish off by saying that this was a fun and refreshing read, just what I needed to clear my head of some of the heavier stuff I'm reading....like the orgasm machine book.
June 14, 2019
HEY KIDS!!! LEARN INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD'S STRONGEST SAILOR AND HIS FRIENDS!!!
Having just completed reading The Complete E.C. Segar Popeye Volume 5: Dailies - 1928-1929 I decided to take this volume off the shelf for a quick read. Produced in 1979 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the character's first appearance (and preceding the Robin Williams vehicle by a year) this is a typical example of a fairly well-done tribute book: filled with interesting facts but not academically researched, good production values with colorful illustrations and reproductions. It's not essential in any way, but a nice artifact regardless.
What's probably most worthwhile is having a record of Bud Sagendorf's memories of working as Segar's assistant (before eventually taking over the strip himself after Seger's demise) back in the day. He paints a wistful portrait of a gentle man who liked to work late at night, enjoyed fishing and never felt comfortable in crowds, who drew on his boyhood in Chester, Illinois for inspiration behind some of his famous characters (Popeye and Wimpy particularly). It's also nice to get short overviews of Segar's other strips (THE FIVE-FIFTEEN/SAPPO), his struggles becoming a cartoonist and his inspirations (as expected, George Herriman's KRAZY KAT).
From there, it's sections dedicated to the star of the strip, his supporting cast and various events throughout the life of the character. There are some nice tidbits of information:
Popeye's transition to star of THIMBLE THEATRE came about slowly (and knocked Ham Gravy, part of TT's cast and Olive's boyfriend, out of the picture), assisted by his becoming a professional prizefighter (which removed the need for stories to have a nautical theme for his involvement). He is perpetually 34 years old and was born off Santa Monica, CA (interestingly, despite the existence of Poopdeck Pappy and Granny, Popeye's mother is rarely, if at all, mentioned - making the character one of the earliest examples of a broken home in popular culture, not counting Dickens era orphans, of course).
There's a charming two-page spread of a letter written "by" Popeye about himself (he's been stabbed 922 times, been shot 120 times and has 27 bullets lodged in his body! He's got "millings an' millings of friends an' only twenty-six thousing emenies" He lost his right eye in "the mos' arful battle of me whole life...I had more fun that night...arf! arf!" but "tha's all I yam goner tell ya on account of ya'd have nightmares all day long if I told ya about some of me horreeble experiences!". He never uses his special twister sock punch on people because "it ain't right to kill peoples..." BUT he hates pirates and one night killed 21 of them!) and another two page spread of his most famous punches (his first was socking Ham Gravy!).
Olive (from some evidence here and some things I've seen in the collected strips) is arguably as violent as Popeye.
Sweepea's an heir to the throne of Demonia and is actually christened (by Popeye, with spinach, natch) with the name Scooner Seawell George Washington Christopher Columbus Daniel Boone (adjusting for Popeye's wretched pronunciation and faulty knowledge).
J. Wellington Wimpy, the eternal mooch, is actually the smartest character in the strip (unless Prof. Watasnoozle stops by from SAPPO) with his erudite language, high IQ and claim of 24 college degrees - and held the role of referee to Popeye's organized prizefights for quite a while.
Brutus (Bluto in the cartoons) was born in Hollywood(!) and, no surprise, has a glass jaw.
Eugene the Jeep (along with "Goon", a word Segar brought to the popular vernacular) is a fourth dimensional creature extruded into our three dimensional world, its life force combined with the African Hooey Hound to give it a physical form.
Poopdeck Pappy is an incorrigible bastard (he decks Olive cold in their first meeting!), a bit of a con man and in his initial story-line he breaks into Popeye's safe and steals all of the sailor's life savings to buy a diamond ring for his current girlfriend, then throws her in the ocean after kissing her (she's been eating onions) - for which actions he is sent to jail!
The Sea Hag is an interestingly odd character - her being female means that Popeye can never hit her, and yet when she believes she's defeated him she sinks into depression (Her body type is the same as Olive, long and thin, and she shares with Popeye the trait of being extremely ugly so perhaps she has unrequited love for him?).
Also interesting: perennial strip character (but less-so cartoon character, he made it into the movie, though), shoe cobbler/pawn shop owner George W. Geezil who "hates Wimpy to pieces" is never actually acknowledged as the Jewish stereotype he so obviously is (at least to me).
Also noted are important events that caused changes in the strip. Popeye's popularity with children caused the Hearst syndicate to request that the sailor swear less and be less aggressive. The former aspect was swapped over to Pappy, but the latter was a bit tougher to accommodate: truly, though, Popeye used to beat up just about anyone and anything (reprinted here, a panel where he knocks out a horse that's just thrown him!) and so the strips would, from then on, always put Popeye in the right before fisticuffs commenced. Later, Segar quickly ended a story thread where Sweepea's real mother comes to claim him, realizing that there could be no winners for the strip if the conflict continued. Also touched on - the controversial Sunday strip which almost didn't see print (from October 1, 1933) wherein Wimpy inherits a cow and cannot trade it for some hamburgers, so he takes the logical course of action (the last panel is a comical predecessor to later EC comics "gasp/choke" finales!) and how the syndicate demanded Alice The Goon be removed from the strip as the hairy, naked monster (slave of the Sea Hag) who spoke only in sonic gibberish was reportedly frightening children (Segar put a flower hat and dress on her and reintroduced her a few years later, to no complaint)!
If you like Popeye, this is worth checking out from your local Inter-Library Loan!
Having just completed reading The Complete E.C. Segar Popeye Volume 5: Dailies - 1928-1929 I decided to take this volume off the shelf for a quick read. Produced in 1979 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the character's first appearance (and preceding the Robin Williams vehicle by a year) this is a typical example of a fairly well-done tribute book: filled with interesting facts but not academically researched, good production values with colorful illustrations and reproductions. It's not essential in any way, but a nice artifact regardless.
What's probably most worthwhile is having a record of Bud Sagendorf's memories of working as Segar's assistant (before eventually taking over the strip himself after Seger's demise) back in the day. He paints a wistful portrait of a gentle man who liked to work late at night, enjoyed fishing and never felt comfortable in crowds, who drew on his boyhood in Chester, Illinois for inspiration behind some of his famous characters (Popeye and Wimpy particularly). It's also nice to get short overviews of Segar's other strips (THE FIVE-FIFTEEN/SAPPO), his struggles becoming a cartoonist and his inspirations (as expected, George Herriman's KRAZY KAT).
From there, it's sections dedicated to the star of the strip, his supporting cast and various events throughout the life of the character. There are some nice tidbits of information:
Popeye's transition to star of THIMBLE THEATRE came about slowly (and knocked Ham Gravy, part of TT's cast and Olive's boyfriend, out of the picture), assisted by his becoming a professional prizefighter (which removed the need for stories to have a nautical theme for his involvement). He is perpetually 34 years old and was born off Santa Monica, CA (interestingly, despite the existence of Poopdeck Pappy and Granny, Popeye's mother is rarely, if at all, mentioned - making the character one of the earliest examples of a broken home in popular culture, not counting Dickens era orphans, of course).
There's a charming two-page spread of a letter written "by" Popeye about himself (he's been stabbed 922 times, been shot 120 times and has 27 bullets lodged in his body! He's got "millings an' millings of friends an' only twenty-six thousing emenies" He lost his right eye in "the mos' arful battle of me whole life...I had more fun that night...arf! arf!" but "tha's all I yam goner tell ya on account of ya'd have nightmares all day long if I told ya about some of me horreeble experiences!". He never uses his special twister sock punch on people because "it ain't right to kill peoples..." BUT he hates pirates and one night killed 21 of them!) and another two page spread of his most famous punches (his first was socking Ham Gravy!).
Olive (from some evidence here and some things I've seen in the collected strips) is arguably as violent as Popeye.
Sweepea's an heir to the throne of Demonia and is actually christened (by Popeye, with spinach, natch) with the name Scooner Seawell George Washington Christopher Columbus Daniel Boone (adjusting for Popeye's wretched pronunciation and faulty knowledge).
J. Wellington Wimpy, the eternal mooch, is actually the smartest character in the strip (unless Prof. Watasnoozle stops by from SAPPO) with his erudite language, high IQ and claim of 24 college degrees - and held the role of referee to Popeye's organized prizefights for quite a while.
Brutus (Bluto in the cartoons) was born in Hollywood(!) and, no surprise, has a glass jaw.
Eugene the Jeep (along with "Goon", a word Segar brought to the popular vernacular) is a fourth dimensional creature extruded into our three dimensional world, its life force combined with the African Hooey Hound to give it a physical form.
Poopdeck Pappy is an incorrigible bastard (he decks Olive cold in their first meeting!), a bit of a con man and in his initial story-line he breaks into Popeye's safe and steals all of the sailor's life savings to buy a diamond ring for his current girlfriend, then throws her in the ocean after kissing her (she's been eating onions) - for which actions he is sent to jail!
The Sea Hag is an interestingly odd character - her being female means that Popeye can never hit her, and yet when she believes she's defeated him she sinks into depression (Her body type is the same as Olive, long and thin, and she shares with Popeye the trait of being extremely ugly so perhaps she has unrequited love for him?).
Also interesting: perennial strip character (but less-so cartoon character, he made it into the movie, though), shoe cobbler/pawn shop owner George W. Geezil who "hates Wimpy to pieces" is never actually acknowledged as the Jewish stereotype he so obviously is (at least to me).
Also noted are important events that caused changes in the strip. Popeye's popularity with children caused the Hearst syndicate to request that the sailor swear less and be less aggressive. The former aspect was swapped over to Pappy, but the latter was a bit tougher to accommodate: truly, though, Popeye used to beat up just about anyone and anything (reprinted here, a panel where he knocks out a horse that's just thrown him!) and so the strips would, from then on, always put Popeye in the right before fisticuffs commenced. Later, Segar quickly ended a story thread where Sweepea's real mother comes to claim him, realizing that there could be no winners for the strip if the conflict continued. Also touched on - the controversial Sunday strip which almost didn't see print (from October 1, 1933) wherein Wimpy inherits a cow and cannot trade it for some hamburgers, so he takes the logical course of action (the last panel is a comical predecessor to later EC comics "gasp/choke" finales!) and how the syndicate demanded Alice The Goon be removed from the strip as the hairy, naked monster (slave of the Sea Hag) who spoke only in sonic gibberish was reportedly frightening children (Segar put a flower hat and dress on her and reintroduced her a few years later, to no complaint)!
If you like Popeye, this is worth checking out from your local Inter-Library Loan!
October 12, 2021
Nice to finally have a chance for some more serious reading...
Work was closed today coz of covid, and this came in the post along with 'Popeye: The 60th Anniversary Edition' and more importantly 'The Popeye and Friends Knitting Book' so used the free time to flick through, and ended up finishing it.
Just as a cultural phenomenon very interesting how a cartoonist had a very successful strip, introduced one new character, and suddenly it's now *that* character's world. Trying to think of any media this has happened in, none spring to mind to that degree - 'Cheers' ended up mostly about Frasier by the end but it didn't officially go from 'Cheers' to 'Frasier' like it went from 'Thimble Theater' to 'Popeye'. Also the fact it was so culturally profound at the time, introducing words like 'goon' to how we speak - what did we do before goons? And the language is great, really the apogee of that sort of 'newspaper boy' speak non-Americans grew up associating with America of a certain era. Like Linda Manz in 'Days of Heaven'. Popeye comics really have a perfect use of language: 'ghosks', 'spiriks', 'monksters', 'elephink', muskles'...
Bud Sagendorf gives a very tender biography of Popeye's creator Elzie Crisler Segar (who was perhaps inspired in these spellings of Popeye's by his own name sounding a little like Popeye speak lol, in the book we see Segar associated his name with cigars, including a birth notice for he and his wife in the form of a little cartoon cigar family receiving a baby cigarette). Segendorf was Segar's assistant from his teens onwards and gives a picture of not just the man but a very specific window in time now long gone. I'd have loved a book just of Sagendorf telling these stories, of Segar moving to New York and his belief the streets were paved with gold being shattered by the cartoonists, shoved in a building a few feet away from the newspaper's, having to use a plank three floors up to cross between buildings. Or their late nights going out fishing and coming up with ideas, something I make sound dull but Sagendorf told with the sort of magic you only get from an old man telling the story of a great man of his youth - usually a mentor or family member.
I was surprised Sagendorf didn't cover Segar's depressingly young death at forty-three from leukaemia. We simply go from the strip at its height to being told who drew it from the 40s onwards. Perhaps it was too painful but it seems an oversight when surely it was a huge deal that someone so prolific had their work cut short, can we even say in his prime when barely in middle-age? The strips in the book are night and day when you see Segar's and others, his are such a class above and deeply funny nearly 90 (!) years later, the others are PINO (Popeye In Name Only).
All in all worth checking out for the pop culture element and also because Popeye is great. Actually hilarious to me that I've not only logged this and scanned in the cover to do so but also looked to review it, and done so joyfully in like ten minutes, and also it's got to be by far my longest review on here lol. I really wish I could write like this at will rather than whim.
Work was closed today coz of covid, and this came in the post along with 'Popeye: The 60th Anniversary Edition' and more importantly 'The Popeye and Friends Knitting Book' so used the free time to flick through, and ended up finishing it.
Just as a cultural phenomenon very interesting how a cartoonist had a very successful strip, introduced one new character, and suddenly it's now *that* character's world. Trying to think of any media this has happened in, none spring to mind to that degree - 'Cheers' ended up mostly about Frasier by the end but it didn't officially go from 'Cheers' to 'Frasier' like it went from 'Thimble Theater' to 'Popeye'. Also the fact it was so culturally profound at the time, introducing words like 'goon' to how we speak - what did we do before goons? And the language is great, really the apogee of that sort of 'newspaper boy' speak non-Americans grew up associating with America of a certain era. Like Linda Manz in 'Days of Heaven'. Popeye comics really have a perfect use of language: 'ghosks', 'spiriks', 'monksters', 'elephink', muskles'...
Bud Sagendorf gives a very tender biography of Popeye's creator Elzie Crisler Segar (who was perhaps inspired in these spellings of Popeye's by his own name sounding a little like Popeye speak lol, in the book we see Segar associated his name with cigars, including a birth notice for he and his wife in the form of a little cartoon cigar family receiving a baby cigarette). Segendorf was Segar's assistant from his teens onwards and gives a picture of not just the man but a very specific window in time now long gone. I'd have loved a book just of Sagendorf telling these stories, of Segar moving to New York and his belief the streets were paved with gold being shattered by the cartoonists, shoved in a building a few feet away from the newspaper's, having to use a plank three floors up to cross between buildings. Or their late nights going out fishing and coming up with ideas, something I make sound dull but Sagendorf told with the sort of magic you only get from an old man telling the story of a great man of his youth - usually a mentor or family member.
I was surprised Sagendorf didn't cover Segar's depressingly young death at forty-three from leukaemia. We simply go from the strip at its height to being told who drew it from the 40s onwards. Perhaps it was too painful but it seems an oversight when surely it was a huge deal that someone so prolific had their work cut short, can we even say in his prime when barely in middle-age? The strips in the book are night and day when you see Segar's and others, his are such a class above and deeply funny nearly 90 (!) years later, the others are PINO (Popeye In Name Only).
All in all worth checking out for the pop culture element and also because Popeye is great. Actually hilarious to me that I've not only logged this and scanned in the cover to do so but also looked to review it, and done so joyfully in like ten minutes, and also it's got to be by far my longest review on here lol. I really wish I could write like this at will rather than whim.
April 7, 2019
Nice to remember the fun I had watching Popeye after school and on the weekends. I had more fun when I learned to read Spanish with my father, using the Popeye comic strip!
April 29, 2012
This book is an excellent introduction to and behind-the-scenes look at a character who is so well known and yet not so well known as people think. I certainly learned a lot about Popeye that I never would have guessed before. This tome, however, does not tell you everything. It is, rather, an elaborate teaser, designed to get you interested in reading more of the actual Thimble Theatre and Popeye strips. Well, it certainly worked on me.
December 14, 2010
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the character and read on the 81st anniversary, this book is Lightweight but delightful. Only occasionally insightful, but all the background given is worth having. Written by one of the strips writers/artists.
July 19, 2010
Lots of information, and a quick read. Nice selection of vintage cartoons, and Sagendorf's own "behind-the-scenes" perspective on the creation of Popeye.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews